[chriscorney]

Hello everyone,

I just purchased a new to me, 2014 535i Msport with 600 miles. Was delivered to me in prestine condition from out of State yesterday (to Arizona), and I brought it to the dealership for a quick look over and preventative 1 year oil change (free of charge).

I picked up the car 5 minutes before close, and drove to the gas station - what I saw next has me in shock even still. The dealer crashed into a wall it seems, and the front right bumper literally has no paint on it. Severe gouges and paint damage for a good square foot. Obvious that someone along the chain had tried to cover up, deceive, and to hide it from me/upper management.

I called and spoke to an assistant SA and he will "relay" the message to a more experienced manager in the morning. I am shocked and still upset, as I bought the car sight unseen from across the country due to its condition and option list; now the condition was a moot point.

Has anyone experienced this, and what is the best course of action?

My gut instinct is to have them replace the bumper, although I am concerned the hand re-spray from a collision center will never match factory, robotic sprays. Also seeking compensation for the decreased value of the car due to the incident, and time out of service (I rely on my car for business). First and foremost, document the damage - take pictures.

I will insist that the repair is documented in detail on their invoice and it is specifically noted that they caused it. Next, will get to the GM and demand carte blanche for future maintenance/repairs/parts/whatever or a cash settlement equal to 10% of the National Automobile Dealer’ Association (NADA) sale value for your vehicle. This is a benchmark for Diminished Value (DV). I assume potential buyers (when I sell) will be scared off, and now the vehicle is now worth less because of this incident.

Any insight is appreciated. I will refrain from posting the offending BMW dealer at this point until I know how they will handle this issue. Thinking that a new bumper, and $3,000 credit is the only resolve.

[chriscorney]

Any value or possibility of ownership giving an extended warranty for the settlement?

Just hope this is resolved and goes smoothly..

[Gpfarrell]

What a bummer! I'd be sick!

Quite possible, in fact likely, that the only employee at the dealership that was aware of this was the punk driving it. The management has some awkward investigating to do before they know what to offer, if anything.

Any pics you have showing the car un damaged might help them to recognize it happened while in their possession.

Good luck.

[kinerin]

Sorry to hear about your car.

Good luck on the Diminished Value claim...maybe the dealer might be more amiable to a reasonable settlement than an Insurance Company.

I'm still fighting a Diminished Value claim with an insurance company for over a year after we were t-boned by a driver running a stop sign. Severe damage to a 2012 Jeep GC. Diminished the value of trade-in by over 20%. Insurance company is doing everything possible to frustrate the process

We're about ready to take it to court if need be.

[The X Men]

Was the car inspected and sign off by both party during the drop off? Usually, small accidents repair by dealers do not show up on carfax. Good Luck with the DV claim.

[lsturbointeg]

Wow that just sux! SA should have done a walk around before giving the car back to u. That's what they did after picking my car up for scheduled maintenance. He completely walked around the vehicle with me and said "we do complete walk arounds to make sure we give u your car back in the same condition except that we wash your car as a courtesy thank you!"

[Bmw doubles]

Tell them you break it you buy it. Have them get you a new one.

[Bbb34]

That's unfortunate, really sucks, I can see you being upset.

That said, it's just a bumper, make sure they fix it properly, I'm sure they'll make it "as good as new". Then just move on and enjoy your car, not much else you can do really, sucks but these things happen. As for diminished value, I don't think this is an issue, minor damage caused and fixed locally will not show up on any report, at least I think.

Good luck dealing with dealership.

[BMWrules7]

Originally Posted by chriscorney

Hello everyone,

I just purchased a new to me, 2014 535i Msport with 600 miles. Was delivered to me in prestine condition from out of State yesterday (to Arizona), and I brought it to the dealership for a quick look over and preventative 1 year oil change (free of charge).

I picked up the car 5 minutes before close, and drove to the gas station - what I saw next has me in shock even still. The dealer crashed into a wall it seems, and the front right bumper literally has no paint on it. Severe gouges and paint damage for a good square foot. Obvious that someone along the chain had tried to cover up, deceive, and to hide it from me/upper management.

I called and spoke to an assistant SA and he will "relay" the message to a more experienced manager in the morning. I am shocked and still upset, as I bought the car sight unseen from across the country due to its condition and option list; now the condition was a moot point.

Has anyone experienced this, and what is the best course of action?

My gut instinct is to have them replace the bumper, although I am concerned the hand re-spray from a collision center will never match factory, robotic sprays. Also seeking compensation for the decreased value of the car due to the incident, and time out of service (I rely on my car for business). First and foremost, document the damage - take pictures.

I will insist that the repair is documented in detail on their invoice and it is specifically noted that they caused it. Next, will get to the GM and demand carte blanche for future maintenance/repairs/parts/whatever or a cash settlement equal to 10% of the National Automobile Dealer Association (NADA) sale value for your vehicle. This is a benchmark for Diminished Value (DV). I assume potential buyers (when I sell) will be scared off, and now the vehicle is now worth less because of this incident.

Any insight is appreciated. I will refrain from posting the offending BMW dealer at this point until I know how they will handle this issue. Thinking that a new bumper, and $3,000 credit is the only resolve.

I was like you once in the way I perceived such damage in my younger years. So, I know how you feel.

What are the chances the damage was always there and you never noticed it?

Next, I am more concerned about any unseen damage---show us some pics!

Next, 2% of the cars leaving the VPC have probably had some cosmetic damage, so don't fret it.

Yes, your anger is justified if the dealership hid the damage.

But, you are being completely unreasonable in wanting diminished value claim.

The bumper isn't called the "most precious and sensitive" vehicle component for a reason.
No, sir. It called a "bumper." It's name conveys its function, right?

By all accounts you have a sweet ride. Don't let a $300 mishap destroy the best period of vehicle ownership for you---it ain't worth it.

Use the dealers screw up to your advantage. This could be the start of a great relationship. The way you conduct yourself here says a lot about you. You will have 10x more power if you just be reasonable. Someday, you may be in a jam where the warranty is out by a week and this dealer will know to take care of you.

Going into the saloon with guns a'blazin' isn't going to get you much,

Instead, take the calm route and try to tease out what really happened. The staff might come clean and admit fault.

Getting the dealer to admit fault will exonerate you and increase your power. If you coerce the dealer into fixing your car with the dealer thinking he is not at fault isn't going to benefit you in the long run.

Finally, let this be a lesson to us all. We all have cell phone cameras. Take a video of your car before you drop it off and directly after you pick it up.

[Gpfarrell]

Eloquently stated!

Originally Posted by BMWrules7

I was like you once in the way I perceived such damage in my younger years. So, I know how you feel.

What are the chances the damage was always there and you never noticed it?

Next, I am more concerned about any unseen damage---show us some pics!

Next, 2% of the cars leaving the VPC have probably had some cosmetic damage, so don't fret it.

Yes, your anger is justified if the dealership hid the damage.

But, you are being completely unreasonable in wanting diminished value claim.

The bumper isn't called the "most precious and sensitive" vehicle component for a reason.
No, sir. It called a "bumper." It's name conveys its function, right?

By all accounts you have a sweet ride. Don't let a $300 mishap destroy the best period of vehicle ownership for you---it ain't worth it.

Use the dealers screw up to your advantage. This could be the start of a great relationship. The way you conduct yourself here says a lot about you. You will have 10x more power if you just be reasonable. Someday, you may be in a jam where the warranty is out by a week and this dealer will know to take care of you.

Going into the saloon with guns a'blazin' isn't going to get you much,

Instead, take the calm route and try to tease out what really happened. The staff might come clean and admit fault.

Getting the dealer to admit fault will exonerate you and increase your power. If you coerce the dealer into fixing your car with the dealer thinking he is not at fault isn't going to benefit you in the long run.

Finally, let this be a lesson to us all. We all have cell phone cameras. Take a video of your car before you drop it off and directly after you pick it up.

[bkM3]

Originally Posted by BMWrules7

I was like you once in the way I perceived such damage in my younger years. So, I know how you feel.

What are the chances the damage was always there and you never noticed it?

Next, I am more concerned about any unseen damage---show us some pics!

Next, 2% of the cars leaving the VPC have probably had some cosmetic damage, so don't fret it.

Yes, your anger is justified if the dealership hid the damage.

But, you are being completely unreasonable in wanting diminished value claim.

The bumper isn't called the "most precious and sensitive" vehicle component for a reason.
No, sir. It called a "bumper." It's name conveys its function, right?

By all accounts you have a sweet ride. Don't let a $300 mishap destroy the best period of vehicle ownership for you---it ain't worth it.

Use the dealers screw up to your advantage. This could be the start of a great relationship. The way you conduct yourself here says a lot about you. You will have 10x more power if you just be reasonable. Someday, you may be in a jam where the warranty is out by a week and this dealer will know to take care of you.

Going into the saloon with guns a'blazin' isn't going to get you much,

Instead, take the calm route and try to tease out what really happened. The staff might come clean and admit fault.

Getting the dealer to admit fault will exonerate you and increase your power. If you coerce the dealer into fixing your car with the dealer thinking he is not at fault isn't going to benefit you in the long run.

Finally, let this be a lesson to us all. We all have cell phone cameras. Take a video of your car before you drop it off and directly after you pick it up.

very well said. i would say just have them replace the bumper and give you a loaner car while it gets repaired. stuff happens and its only the bumper, as somebody stated earlier, it wont show up on carfax or any report unless you file a police report or an insurance claim. i dont think you have a basis for DV claim.

[BigKutta]

Dude relax!!! First off, why didnt you do the walk around when you picked up the car? The dealer can easily say you drove off and hit something, right?

Anyway, as long as they take responsibility and repair the bumper (or replace) to new condition, while putting you in a loaner, that should be good enough. Trust me they will match your paint well enough. It happens.

[bscarlett]

Originally Posted by BMWrules7

I was like you once in the way I perceived such damage in my younger years. So, I know how you feel.

What are the chances the damage was always there and you never noticed it?

Next, I am more concerned about any unseen damage---show us some pics!

Next, 2% of the cars leaving the VPC have probably had some cosmetic damage, so don't fret it.

Yes, your anger is justified if the dealership hid the damage.

But, you are being completely unreasonable in wanting diminished value claim.

The bumper isn't called the "most precious and sensitive" vehicle component for a reason.
No, sir. It called a "bumper." It's name conveys its function, right?

By all accounts you have a sweet ride. Don't let a $300 mishap destroy the best period of vehicle ownership for you---it ain't worth it.

Use the dealers screw up to your advantage. This could be the start of a great relationship. The way you conduct yourself here says a lot about you. You will have 10x more power if you just be reasonable. Someday, you may be in a jam where the warranty is out by a week and this dealer will know to take care of you.

Going into the saloon with guns a'blazin' isn't going to get you much,

Instead, take the calm route and try to tease out what really happened. The staff might come clean and admit fault.

Getting the dealer to admit fault will exonerate you and increase your power. If you coerce the dealer into fixing your car with the dealer thinking he is not at fault isn't going to benefit you in the long run.

Finally, let this be a lesson to us all. We all have cell phone cameras. Take a video of your car before you drop it off and directly after you pick it up.

Best advice I have seen in years in this forum. The minor value of the scratched bumper is nothing comparison to the goodwill you will generate with the dealership if you handle it right. It will pay off ten times what little damage they may have caused to your car. I get the frustration but use the situation to your advantage. I am on my 4th car from the same dealership and they deliver...even advocating for me on a rust warranty claim after the warranty period expired. Build up that favour bank with the dealership!

[Genieman]

I wouldn't push the DV claim from the start because you don't yet know whether it will even show up on a report. Rather, I would (as part of any agreement) require them to give you something in writing admitting it was their fault. That piece of paper can be useless if it never shows up on a report, but in the off chance that it does, you will have them admitting it was their fault and THEN you can pursue them for the DV claim and if they refuse to settle you can take them to small claims court and use their letter admitting fault as proof and they can't contest that... In the meantime, make sure they cover the repairs fully and give you a loaner in the meantime...

[493263]

You're not going to get a DV claim in this. There was no crash, it sounds like they scrubbed your bumper against a pole or something at a tight corner in a parking lot/garage. It won't hit the Carfax report to lose value. Seriously, they can repaint it for you and get you back in 2-3 days. I'm 100% sure you'll get a loaner.

Here's what I would do. I would go talk to the manager because the service rep and techs didn't do their job properly. They are supposed to look over your car before handing it to you. At least at my dealer, that's what the SA does every time with me before handing me the keys. Or if you know your SA, just bring your car right back to him and he is more likely to help you fix it. If he realizes it's their fault, he wants to quickly fix it and make you happy. (I received my car from a scheduled service once and as soon as I left the dealer, the oil light went on. I turned around immediately and hand them the keys. I swear I've never seen an SA and technical run so fast before. I couldn't even be pissed because everyone makes mistakes and they immediately apologized and fixed it)

The dealer isn't going to want to fight with you so be professional and courteous about it. This is a case of "he said she said" and they won't bother fighting over it unless it's an obvious scam. They'll fix it if they think it's most likely their fault since you just picked it up. Remember that you're at a BMW dealership, not a Chevy or Dodge. A reputable dealer won't try to treat you bad as the BMW experience is about the total package(that includes service).

If in any chance they want to ignore you, bring it up to the GM. If that doesn't work, contact BMWNA. Do this right because you don't want to have bad blood. There's not that many BMW dealers and it's a small world. You will receive your karma if you decide to be a complete douche about it. BTW, you can fill out a satisfaction survey or complaints about it and it is a direct performance report to that specific SA. If they want to keep their job and that dealership want to stay in business, then they will treat you right.

[chriscorney]

Thanks for the advice and response everyone. I used much of this insight today, and the recap is below:

1. I contacted the SA and Service manager last night with an email description and picture showing the damage.

2. Showed up at 7:00 AM in person to discuss with said individuals, and acted in a courteous but firm manner. Overall, both the SA and manager agreed that they were 100% at fault, and actually located the incident on camera (perhaps why they agreed - but alas).

3. They did not agree to replace the bumper, even though there was gouging in the plastic material. I had requested two scenarios to resolve:
a) replace the bumper with a new m-sport bumper that is on the lot (and on a new car). Bolt on/off exchange and let me be on my way. This was my first choice, and certainly reasonable.
b) Do the work, and warranty said work for the term of ownership. It can and has been proven that resprays do not hold up as well in the long term. Near term - fine, but for longevity it cant compare to factory. Also requested that a SunTek clear PPF be put on over the bumper (after I had approved the paint).

4. Dealership said no to both, but escalated the claim to the GM. I left late for work, and started home with my loaner. No resolution yet.

5. GM called and said they would agree to re-spray and put a SunTek clear PPF on. Work will be preformed "in-house". Candidly, their repair shop does not have a good reputation for paint/body work, but I have agreed to this. Hope that the work comes out spot-on, and that there is no long term paint issue (had paint issues on a 760i that was resprayed a while back - perhaps this is still engraved into memory).

6. Hoping for the best. Car will be out of service for at least a week, but looking forward to review of the paint job. Just praying that this time around no additional issues are caused; having overspray, additional damage, etc is something that I would be appalled by.

Thanks for the advice everyone. Do you think the outcome was fair and that the work will not be noticeable?

[chrisny]

Can't venture a guess as to whether the paint will be noticeable, obviously that depends on the quality of their work. Assuming they do a good job, should be good as new as if it never happened.

I would say that's the only resolution one could expect, with the only other option being paying for another shop to do it if you're not confident in their work. I would certainly demand that if their first attempt to fix it themselves doesn't work out to your satisfaction.

For the record, I would expect 0 dealerships of any brand anywhere to take a bumper off another car on their lot and slap it on your car as resolution to scratching your bumper...

Good luck, hope it works out. Sounds like you're getting a little something for free and I would hope some good will for future purchases as well. You get a good loaner in the meantime at least?

[OEMonsterz]

Originally Posted by BMWrules7

I was like you once in the way I perceived such damage in my younger years. So, I know how you feel.

What are the chances the damage was always there and you never noticed it?

Next, I am more concerned about any unseen damage---show us some pics!

Next, 2% of the cars leaving the VPC have probably had some cosmetic damage, so don't fret it.

Yes, your anger is justified if the dealership hid the damage.

But, you are being completely unreasonable in wanting diminished value claim.

The bumper isn't called the "most precious and sensitive" vehicle component for a reason.
No, sir. It called a "bumper." It's name conveys its function, right?

By all accounts you have a sweet ride. Don't let a $300 mishap destroy the best period of vehicle ownership for you---it ain't worth it.

Use the dealers screw up to your advantage. This could be the start of a great relationship. The way you conduct yourself here says a lot about you. You will have 10x more power if you just be reasonable. Someday, you may be in a jam where the warranty is out by a week and this dealer will know to take care of you.

Going into the saloon with guns a'blazin' isn't going to get you much,

Instead, take the calm route and try to tease out what really happened. The staff might come clean and admit fault.

Getting the dealer to admit fault will exonerate you and increase your power. If you coerce the dealer into fixing your car with the dealer thinking he is not at fault isn't going to benefit you in the long run.

Finally, let this be a lesson to us all. We all have cell phone cameras. Take a video of your car before you drop it off and directly after you pick it up.

Love the psychology; its just logical !

[chriscorney]

Hi everyone,

Got the car back yesterday, and unfortunately the bumper was painted and finished terribly - exactly what I was worried about. Actually, the portion that hey damaged came out fine, but surrounding areas are now rough, and a large portion didn't even have clear coat on it.

Is it really this tough to refinish a bumper? If not, any suggestions dealing with the dealership? I had wanted to take it to my body guy at first, but they insisted on using their in house team. Also, they messed up the gasket between the lower headlight and bumper.. Headlight now has reminants of glue visible.

Nightmare! Pictures to come next time I am at the dealer. Was so disappointed I left the car there. Dealership certainly fell short of their promise..

[jasonle89]

Do you have any photos at all since the incident ?

[Slickrick2]

I went straight to post a message because I wanted to recommend that you do not let your insurance know and if you do only as a last resort... If you report it to the insurance company they will refer you to the Police Dept to make a report. Once that report is filed the accident or damage will show up in a Car Fax report and at that point the value may some what diminish.

If the bumper is replace or fixed only you know what happened and nobody else needs to know. It's not major damage, physically to the car, but mentally it will mess with you head for a while. In time the shock of the damage will pass. It happened to me on my previous brand new bimmer so I know how you feel.

Good Luck.

[Slickrick2]

Originally Posted by BMWrules7

I was like you once in the way I perceived such damage in my younger years. So, I know how you feel.

What are the chances the damage was always there and you never noticed it?

Next, I am more concerned about any unseen damage---show us some pics!

Next, 2% of the cars leaving the VPC have probably had some cosmetic damage, so don't fret it.

Yes, your anger is justified if the dealership hid the damage.

But, you are being completely unreasonable in wanting diminished value claim.

The bumper isn't called the "most precious and sensitive" vehicle component for a reason.
No, sir. It called a "bumper." It's name conveys its function, right?

By all accounts you have a sweet ride. Don't let a $300 mishap destroy the best period of vehicle ownership for you---it ain't worth it.

Use the dealers screw up to your advantage. This could be the start of a great relationship. The way you conduct yourself here says a lot about you. You will have 10x more power if you just be reasonable. Someday, you may be in a jam where the warranty is out by a week and this dealer will know to take care of you.

Going into the saloon with guns a'blazin' isn't going to get you much,

Instead, take the calm route and try to tease out what really happened. The staff might come clean and admit fault.

Getting the dealer to admit fault will exonerate you and increase your power. If you coerce the dealer into fixing your car with the dealer thinking he is not at fault isn't going to benefit you in the long run.

Finally, let this be a lesson to us all. We all have cell phone cameras. Take a video of your car before you drop it off and directly after you pick it up.

+10 times !